(NOTE: You could easily cut out Scotland and just use as a 1 week Ireland Itinerary)

Download a PDF Version of This Ireland Travel Itinerary for Easy Reference!

Why Did We Do Our Trip This Way???

People have asked us why we combined Ireland & Scotland into this travel itinerary — and also why we split the trip the way we did (Dublin => Scotland => Ireland). Basically, it was all because of flight prices + it was an efficient way to pack it all in.

We flew to Dublin was because of good roundtrip airfare from the States. Then we took a few days to rest & explore Dublin before flying to Scotland – the flights between Dublin and Scotland were quite cheap. Then we rented a car when we returned to Dublin to drive around Ireland.

Accommodations We Recommend During Your Trip to Scotland and Ireland

For our trip, we were on a bit of a budget. So we did our best to combine some cheap hostel stays with some charming B&B’s, as well as hotels. Below I’ve included links to all the places we actually stayed. However if you are not interested in hostels, I offered a reasonably priced non-hostel option as well, which ticks all of our boxes for convenience, good location, reviews, and character.

Ballachulish (Scottish Highlands) — The Ballachulish Hotel – we really loved this hotel! It’s in an old castle-like building overlooking a Loch. They had a wonderful restaurant with an amazing view too. At a reasonable price, we really had a memorable experience at this place!

Killarney — Old Killarney Cottages – This place is so cute and the cottages are HUGE! We actually met my family who traveled from the States, so we split the cost of our enormous thatched-roof cottage. A really great option if you are staying for a long visit too.

Airbnb — Airbnb is also a really great way to unique budget accommodations (and an apartment rather than a hotel room). Sometimes they are standalone rentals, other times you will be staying in a guest bedroom of a local — who are often happy to give you recommendations or even show you around! If you want to learn more, read our full post about our experiences at Airbnb’s across the country.

Killarney hop on / off shuttle – Muckross route – the Muckross house and nearby agricultural park is a fascinating experience. Walk the grounds and see actors who are dressed in period clothing and working in traditional homes – tending to animals and cooking foods just like they would back in the day. A really fun experience!